Welcoming A New Puppy Into Your Home – Are You Really Ready?

Are you really ready to bring a little furry friend home? I mean, are you really ready? Sure it sounds all wonderful in theory, but before you run out and take home the first puppy who melts your heart, there are some things you'll need to consider carefully. Let's take a look.

Do You Have Time?

 
Puppies need your time and lots of it. If you're constantly rushing to get everything done, you may want to seriously reconsider the idea of taking home a puppy. A puppy is a new creature to this world. They need your time and attention to learn how to properly live in it. Your new puppy is going to need your help learning how to potty train, how to behave properly around other pets and people, as well as lots of your attention for playtime. Do you have that time to give a deserving puppy?

Is Your Family in Agreement?

This new family member is going to affect everyone in the family. That is why it's a good idea to make sure everyone in the family agrees to accepting this new family member. This ensures the puppy comes into a completely welcoming home and that you don't create any unwanted issues and tension between family members and the puppy, too.

Are You Ready For The Work?

Puppies take a lot of work. Are you ready for that? Are you prepared to have mop and paper towels in hand constantly?  Are you ready to get up in the middle of the night to tend to your puppy's needs, to play even when you don't feel like it, to make vet trips, and to make trips to the store to buy pet food? Are you ready to handle emergency situations with your puppy? Are you ready to spend the hours and hours it takes to physically care for your puppy; training, bathing, brushing, feeding, and other care?

Can You Afford a Puppy?

Puppies cost money. Even if you can get a puppy absolutely free, your puppy is not going to be free for long. Or, maybe you're buying a purebred pup from a breeder or adopting from a shelter. Either way, the expenses don't end when you take the puppy home, they just begin. You'll need money for food, bowls, toys, treats, bedding, crates, leashes, collars, grooming, shots, neutering or spaying, licenses, training or obedience classes, routine medical bills, unexpected vet bills, and more. Be prepared for this and honestly decide if you really can afford your furry friend.

Do You Have Support?

We've mentioned that it's hard work taking care of a puppy. Will you have any support to help you when you need a break? Think about this before you take puppy home and you'll save yourself a ton of stress. Support can come in many different forms; from hiring a pet sitter or dog walker, a neighbor who's willing to dog-sit when you go out of town, the friend who can offer puppy potty training advice and help.

If you've honestly answered these questions, then you'll be in a very good place to make a realistic decision about whether you can adopt a puppy or not.

If the answers show you're not quite ready for a puppy, then waiting until the time is right is the proper thing to do. You and your potential puppy will be much better off. If the answers show you are ready, congratulations! It's an exciting time as you venture into a whole new world of pet parenting!

Puppy Proofing Your Home

Puppies, more than any other animal, are known for getting into things and eating their way into your bank account via chewed remotes, cords, and shoes. It is essential to safe guard your home from your puppy and your puppy from the dangers of your home.

The use of baby gates is very effective in keeping curious puppies out of places they don’t belong. You can put one up in the entrance to the kitchen, bathroom, garage, stairway and entrance.

Anything you do not want the puppy to ingest should be kept out of harm’s way. Including, but not limited to:

· money
· cords
· electronics (remotes, iPods, phones)
· cleaning supplies
· small toys
· houseplants
· decorative pillows
· potpourri (candles, incense)
· garbage
· jewelry
· medications
· small animals (hamsters, fish)

The backyard needs to be checked for:
· broken or weak fence areas and gates
· swimming pools need to be covered and blocked by barricades
· toxic plant life that may be ingested

ALWAYS WATCH YOUR PUPPY WHEN HE IS OUTSIDE!!

 By Staff Writer Trish Harding

Backyard Hazards for Pets

Heat isn’t the only thing to worry about when it comes to your pets. There are many dangerous things right outside your backdoor. When shopping for lawn care products it is a good idea to research what will harm your pet and what is safe. Some products are incredibly tempting to your dog and need special precautions.

Blood and bone meal fertilizers are made from ground up animal bones and dried blood powder. This will smell awesome to a dog but if ingested your pet runs the risk of iron poisoning and bone meal becomes a hard concrete like block upon entry into the stomach. Make sure to water your lawn after application as this will cut down on the smell for your dog and wash away the large particles so they are not eaten.

Cacao bean mulch is made from the ground up hulls of the cacao bean. It has a chocolate nutty smell when fresh and can potentially cause great harm to your pet. If eaten chocolate toxicity can set in and you would need to take your pet to the vet IMMEDIATELY. After application, water the area to reduce the yummy smell to your pets and to wash most of the particles into the soil.

Pesticides and baits placed in the house or in the yard also pose a health hazard. Keep these substances far out of reach from your pets and monitor your pets while they are in the yard to make sure they don’t consume any. IMMEDIATE vet care is suggested if your pet consumes pesticides.

By Staff Writer Trish Harding

Pet Obesity

Up to 25% of pets in the Western world are obese or overweight. Obesity can have serious consequences for your pet. Here is a list of things to do to make sure that your pet is a healthy weight.

1. Find out if your pet is overweight/obese.

A cat from above should be trim and the waist should go in slightly. The abdomen should not be extended and there should be no fat deposits on the legs, stomach face and neck.
A dog will have a waist that tucks in from above and the stomach should point back towards to tail. There should be no fat deposits on the legs, shoulders, spine, face and neck.

2. Know the risks of obesity.

Obese dogs are at risk of many of the same ailments that people are. They can develop diabetes, hip dysplasia, arthritis and
Obese cats are can develop diabetes also. Excess weight can directly result in urinary tract disease and hepatic lipidosis, liver failure cause by brief stress. Because of the risk of liver failure you should contact your vet if your cat is obese as a sudden change in diet could be enough stress for the liver to fail.

3. Visit the veterinarian.

As with people, there could be a medical reason your pet is obese. Schedule an appointment with your vet so they can assess your pet for any health problems related to the obesity.

4. Look at your pets diet.

Animals that are obese need to follow a vets recommendation for weight loss but there are a few things you can do to ensure smooth sailing.
· Have only one person feed the pets so there are no mix ups and over feedings, because let’s face it, your pets aren’t going to let the food just sit there.
· Feed your pet in smaller more frequent meals throughout the day.
· Replace treats with pet friendly vegetable treats such as carrots, zucchinis or melons.

5. Get your pet plenty of exercise.

Be sure your pet gets plenty of exercise. Take your dog to a dog park or run around the house with a string for your cat. Either way both of you will be getting active.

By Staff Writer Trish Harding